


I believe (in) you

by clarktaviakru



Category: The 100
Genre: Friendship AU, Murphy and Octavia are (not) platonic, Octurphy, The 100 - Freeform, john murphy - Freeform, murphtavia, octavia blake - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:52:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23278888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarktaviakru/pseuds/clarktaviakru
Summary: All Murphy wanted, was for someone to believe  him.OR: Octavia decided to befriend the delinquent everyone hates
Relationships: Octavia Blake/John Murphy
Comments: 5
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

Octavia smiled, the white flowers Lincoln left still bunched together in her hands. 

“Someone hit the tripwire!” One of the delinquents screamed. Octavia panicked. She ran through the gate, wide eyed and filled with terror. 

“Octavia be careful!” Miller shouted, but she didn’t care. If it really was Lincoln, they would shoot and kill him on the spot. 

But what Octavia saw, wasn’t Lincoln laying there. Instead, it was a bruised and bloody figure,Helpless. 

Octavia turned him over. The sight she saw was horrific. She grimaced at the noticeable amount of blood on her hand. “Murphy?”

He winced. Octavia helped him up as she heard disapproving murmurs from the crowd. But she wasn’t just gonna leave him there to soak in his own blood.

“Please, don’t hurt me,” he whispered to Octavia. “Listen Murphy I’m not gonna hurt you.” 

With one hand wrapped around Octavia’s shoulder, they made their way back into the camp. 

Bellamy was the first to act, lunging forward at him. Clarke was quick to grab his shoulders before he could attack him. “We banished him clarke! We can’t just let him come back with no consequences!”

“Bell, he’s petrified. Look at him!” Octavia gestured to the bloody Murphy holding onto her shoulder for dear life.

“We banished that traitor! And he thinks he’s just gonna waltz back in?” Bellamy exclaimed, trying to writhe out of Finn and Clarke’s grasp. 

“And you wanna kill him? I thought we didn’t get to decide who lives or dies here, Bell”

“Why are you defending him? He’s a traitor. He deserves to die for what he’s done.” 

And honestly, Octavia didn’t know why she was protecting him. It must’ve been all the influence from Lincoln, people are people. She hated him sometimes, in a loving way though. The way he always thought everyone was worth saving. 

“Because he’s still a person, Bellamy. We can’t just start killing off all of our people for punishment. There’s only so many of us, and with everything happening with the grounders, we need everyone we can get. So sit the hell down and let clarke see what’s wrong with him.” Bellamy was taken back, Octavia never really spoke to him like that. The earth had somehow shaped her, she wasn’t afraid to stand up to her big brother anymore. And she stood up for everyone, despite what they’d done. 

Clarke cautiously walked over to Murphy, peeling his arm off Octavia’s shoulder.

Octavia gave Bellamy the death stare before storming off into her tent. She shoved herself down onto the bed and sighed. This was too much, they were just kids. 

She woke up to people laughing and chattering outside. And an excruciating amount of mosquito bites on her legs, always happened to her considering she had the best luck in the world.

She sat up on her bed, pulling Lincoln’s book out from under her pillow. She unwrapped the leather and opened the book to one specific page, the drawing of her. She smiled as she ran her fingers over the page, he got everything right. She couldn’t help but think how lucky she was, to have found someone like him. 

But then Bellamy stormed in, ruining this peaceful moment that she rarely ever got. 

“Je-Jesus, you scared me” she breathed, quickly slamming the journal in her hands shut. 

“How are you feeling?” He asked, a slight worried tone to his voice. 

“Fine...get out,” 

“Did you touch Murphy?” 

“What?” She asked turning over. 

“I said, did you touch Murphy?” 

“I mean, yeah obviously. Why?” 

“Cmon we need to get you to clarke, Murphy’s sick.” 

Octavia followed him into the dropship. People all around her were coughing up blood, passing out, or dying.” Octavia scrunched her nose. “Murphy has this too? He’s the one who brought it here?” Octavia asked, still wondering why she wasn’t sick. “Yeah, still believe he’s worth saving?” Bellamy snarked. Octavia rolled her eyes. 

“All her vitals are clear, she doesn’t have any of the symptoms.” Clarke said after examining Octavia. “So you’re saying she’s not sick?” Bellamy asked, fiddling his fingers nervously. “I’m saying she doesn’t have symptoms, but we’ll have to keep her here just in case” Clarke explained. 

“No way, look at this place. She’ll get sick just being here!” Bellamy tried to keep his anger masked. 

“We’ll keep her with the people who don’t show any symptoms yet, do you want to stop the spread or not? Think of it as a way to stop her from sneaking out.” Clarke lied.

“Screw you clarke.” Octavia rolled her eyes, climbing up the ladder as her brother walked away.

“Octavia wait!” Octavia turned around, a look of displeasure on her face. 

“I need you to sneak out again.” Clarke said, exhausted as blood poured out of her eyes. 

Octavia snuck through the gates, making her way to Lincoln’s cave. She’d memorized the path by then, after making the trip so many times. She’d passed grounders on the way there, she just flashed them some trigedasleng and then they let her go, she didn’t know why but it always worked. 

She climbed into the entrance of the cave, seeing the candles lit inside, that’s how she knew he was there. 

He greeted her as soon as he heard her footsteps. He grabbed her face, checking her ears and looking at her eyes. 

She paused “you knew,” she stated. It wasn’t a question. 

“Listen Octavia I’m sorry. They’re using the sickness to soften the battlefield. Only few are immune to it, I’m not surprised you’re one of the strong ones.” He explained. 

“The battlefield?”

“They’re attacking at first light” he rested his hands on her shoulders. 

“We have to talk to them, Lincoln they’re your people we have to do something” she pleaded. 

“I’ve tried everything I could octavia, my people see me as a traitor.” He said, trying to calm her down. 

“Because the bridge? You were just trying to make peace.” She didn’t understand how his people could see him as a traitor for proposing a truce. 

“Not for the bridge....” Lincoln didn’t finish his sentence, he didn’t have to. 

“Because of me?” She asked, sadness lacing her voice. 

“But that doesn’t matter now Octavia, I’m leaving today. Heading towards the sea. I want you to come with me.” 

“I have to go warn them.” 

“Octavia you can’t, they’ll kill you. If you’re not back by dawn-“

“I will be, wait for me here. I’m coming with you.” 

Lincoln placed a kiss on her lips, maybe even a goodbye kiss. Not knowing If he’d ever see her again. She pulled away and exited the cave. 

She made her journey back to the gates, running as fast as she could. She knew if she passed any grounders, there wouldn’t be anyway to talk herself out of being slaughtered, with the massacre so close. 

She walked back into the massive crowd. A boy was knocked out on the ground and Bellamy was holding a gun, Octavia assumed he knocked him out. 

“What the hell is she doing?” Bellamy asked, gesturing to his sister. 

“I sent her out to ask Lincoln for a cure.” Clarke explained. 

“There is no cure, but the grounders don’t use the sickness to kill.” Octavia announced. 

“Yeah, tell that to the four dead kids in the dropship. I warned you about seeing that grounder again.” Bellamy’s voice was filled with rage. 

“Yeah? Well I have a warning for you too,” she paused “the grounders are coming! They attack at first light. And if we don’t do something about it we’re all going to die.” 

Clarke started to wobble, Finn automatically caught her. “Finn don’t touch her-“ Raven exclaimed, but it was too late. 

“Cmon I’ll help you get her into the dropship.” Octavia began to walk forward, Bellamy stopped her by grabbing her wrist. She eyed him in disgust as she yanked her arm away from his grip with a surprising amount of strength, which surprised both of them.

Finn carried clarke into the drop ship. Murphy quickly got to his feet. “Here, she can take my bed.” Octavia nodded a silent thanks to him as she got water for Clarke. 

“What am I going to do to keep you two from coming in here?” Clarke asked. 

“Get better.” They both replied in unison.

“If he hasn’t gotten it yet he’s probably immune, like me” Octavia explained.

Octavia handed the small cup of water to clarke, she took a small sip and then removed her mouth. 

“Them too.” She begged. Octavia gave her a worried look as her hand rested on her leg. “Please” 

“It’s okay, I’ll do it” Octavia assured her.

She made her way to Murphy, who was now on the second level by himself, no one really seemed to stay around him long and avoided him like the plague. 

“Here.” She said holding out the water. 

He took it hesitantly. He didn’t understand her, she was too nice. 

“Why aren’t you being a dick to me. Your brother is. Aren’t you supposed to be like a girl version of him or something?” Murphy asked taking a sip of he water. 

“That’s not exactly how it works.” Octavia smiled and sat down in front of him. 

“Why aren’t you avoiding me like everyone else?” Murphy asked, skeptical. 

“I believe everyone deserves a second chance.” She said, still smiling. 

“You know I could murder you right here right?” Murphy asked, he didn’t actually have the intention of hurting the girl sitting in front of him.

“You could try,” Octavia’s grin grew wider as she motioned to the sword in its sleeve attached to her back. 

“Ah yes, the grounder boyfriend.” Murphy nodded.

“They’re not so bad you know, they’re just like us.” Octavia tried to convince him. “Some of them would give you a run for your money, Murphy.” She giggled. 

Murphy didn’t understand how someone could be so happy, especially someone like Octavia Blake. She grew up under the floor, and her boyfriend of like 3 days had already died, she got a new one who she’s obviously more enthusiastic about. 

“You know your brother wouldn’t approve of you talking to ‘the traitor’” Murphy snarked, Octavia couldn’t realize why he and Bellamy despised each other as they did. 

“He is not my keeper.” Her grin turned into more of a soft smile. “And he’s wrong about you, everyone deserves a second chance, even you. Everyone is worth saving.” Octavia says, remembering a similar conversation with Lincoln. 

“That isn’t some grounder mumbo jumbo you learned from your boyfriend is it? Because if so I don’t want it.” Murphy let a small smile crack through his seemingly expressionless face. 

“It is, admit it Murphy it’s smart.” She joked, resisting the urge to reach out and push his shoulder. She knew he probably wouldn’t understand it in the way she did, he would’ve found it insulting as where she would’ve found it friendly and endearing. 

“So anyways...” he trailed off. “You believe me?” Murphy asked hopefully, no one believed that Murphy didn’t bring the sickness intentionally, and that he wasn’t truly sorry about wishing death upon Charlotte in the fit of rage he had. He was, he was just upset and he hadn’t fully thought it through before he decided to act upon his feelings. 

Octavia stood up and looked down at him. “I believe you.” She smiled, and this time, he returned it. 

Octavia climbed down the ladder. “What the hell were you up there for?” Bellamy immediately questioned. “Shut it bellamy, we’ve got bigger problems than your quarrel with Murphy” she pushed past him and made her way out of the dropship. 

She left the camp, and she made her way to Lincoln’s cave. 

“You ready to go?” He asked her, obviously he had set his mind on leaving. 

“I...I can’t. I’m sorry Lincoln. I can’t just abandon my brother to die.” She looked down at her feet, feeling tears threaten to spill over. 

He grabbed her face “you’ll die here Octavia...” he trailed off. He knew there was no changing her mind. 

“Maybe so, but I at least have to try Lincoln. Ill try to remember everything you’ve taught me,” she paused. “I- I’ll miss you.” She sighed, Leaving a kiss on his lips before turning away and exiting the cave. 

Everything was happening so fast, people shrieking all around her. The sound of metal meeting flesh, gunshots. 

She saw a grounder crouching over a mop of curly hair- Bellamy. 

She quickly ran over to the man, using all of her strength to stick her sword through his head. 

“Admit it...you want one.” She smiled, but then she felt a stabbing pain in her leg, she fell to the ground. 

A dagger, embedded into her thigh. “Leave me Bell, I’ll find a way. I always do.” She smiled, holding back tears. 

“No O, I am not leaving you.” He crouched behind the tree, there was no way in hell we was leaving his  
Sister behind. And damn if he was gonna let her die. 

They heard footsteps behind her, and Octavia panicked as she reached for her sword. 

“Lincoln!” She threw her arms around his neck. 

“I know how to heal her, but she has to come with me. Now.” Lincoln turned to Bellamy. 

“No.” Octavia protested. “I have to see this through.” She choked, tears spilling over the brim of her eye lids. 

“This fight is over for you, Ai hodnes.” He cupped her face. He looked at Bellamy expectantly, waiting for approval to take her. 

Bellamy’s hand shook on his gun as he spoke. “I told you my life ended the day you were born Octavia...but the truth is it had only begun. So go, I need you to live.” Lincoln scooped Octavia into his arms, she wasn’t fit to walk. 

“May we meet again, big brother.” Her voice was shaky and unstable, it suggested a breakdown at any moment. 

“Damn right we will.”

3 months later:  
“We need to take shelter, acid fog will be here any second-“ Murphy started. “No we don’t.” Bellamy smiled. Octavia was smiling, her hand on a foghorn. “She blew the horn.” Murphy smiled. 

Octavia threw herself into Bellamy’s arms, so relieved to see her brother after what had happened. 

Octavia was wrapping up Monroe’s wound, trying not to focus on the reapers, Lincoln’s relieved smile as he saw her, and then him being ripped away from her at the last second.

“So...where’s your boyfriend?” Murphy asked, crouching down at her side. That was the one question she was dreading. 

“He is...gone.” She sighed, getting back to work on Monroe’s leg. 

“I’m sorry.” Murphy put one hand on her shoulder, offering her a sad smile. All she could give in return was a nod. 

Back at the camp: 

Murphy entered Octavia’s tent. “Hey.” He whispered. She turned, the small leather book clutched tightly in her hands. 

“Hey.”

“Why were you so nice to me?” Murphy asked, sitting down on the untouched bed beside her. She wasn’t allowed to have a roommate. Seeing as her extremely overprotective brother wouldn’t let anyone who could hurt her share a room with her. But she knew he couldn’t keep her sheltered forever. 

“Like I said Murphy, everyone deserves a second chance. Even you.” She offered him a sad smile, one that he returned. She sat up on her bed, tucking the book back under her pillow. 

“You know, your brother wouldn’t approve of you hanging out with me, babyblake.” He had to resists the urge to laugh as he saw the way Octavia’s nose scrunched up at the name.

Octavia giggled, “first of all, never call me that. Second of all, I don’t care what my brother would approve of.” She sighed, kicking her feet Infront of her. 

“You know you’re not all bad.” Murphy said. 

Octavia let out a questioning hum. 

“Most people here don’t like you, because you fraternize with “the enemy” but they never actually got the chance to know you. As far as I know one of the only people here who doesn’t hate you is Jasper, and he’s a dope.” 

“Hey!” Octavia exclaimed, trying to defend her friend without laughing. She never really realized how many people hated her, she didn’t really care. She didn’t need their approval, she may have wanted it, but she didn’t need it. 

“You’re not so bad yourself, Murphy.” She smiled.

They ended up staying up all night, talking about how shitty this place was.

When she woke up, Murphy was passed out in her floor. She chuckled as she walked out of her tent, already feeling the itchiness of her fresh mosquito bites.

“What the hell, O?” Bellamy stormed towards her. 

“What?” She said groggily, wiping her eyes free of sleep. 

“Why is Murphy in your tent? Overnight especially?” 

“Chill out Bellamy, he fell asleep in my floor. I doubt he’s actually slept in a while, just leave him alone.” She explained, trying to keep her cool without going off. 

“He’s a monster Octavia, you shouldn’t try to be his friend, you’ll end up getting stabbed in the back when it’s all over with.” He raised his voice, it always made Octavia feel small when he shouted at her. But this time, she wasn’t gonna sit back and take it. 

“Have you even tried to understand what he did Bellamy? Did you ever ask? You guys were ready to hang him for a crime he didn’t commit, and after being proved innocent you still outcasted him. I’m not saying the way he reacted was okay, but everyone deserves a second chance.” 

“So what? Are you two like a thing now? You couldn’t even wait another day to get a new boyfriend?” Bellamy’s voice got louder, venom lacing every word. And that set Octavia off. 

“Okay seriously Bellamy? I’m not allowed to have friends anymore? I’m not some whore who goes around sleeping with the entire camp. I’m trying to befriend the one you all outcasted. You don’t get it bellamy, you know why? Because no one can make the decisions but you. Because anyone who disagrees with you is automatically the enemy. Because you are the only one who’s allowed to call the shots. And no ones allowed to do anything without asking you first. And you know what, big brother? Maybe you should take a good look in the mirror. And see what a hypocritical asshole you are because you sure don’t see it yourself.” She stormed off towards jaspers tent, something she often did. 

Jasper was used to it, she would come in and punch a few pillows until she broke down and cried. And then he would let her rest her head on his shoulder until her body stopped wracking with silent sobs. 

And then she would keep him company for a few hours, having conversations with him until Monty would come in and hand her a slice of cooked meat, or a cup of water. Like clockwork every time. 

She was beginning to love this whole earth thing even more than she already did.

She stayed in Jasper and Monty’s tent until it got dark, then she made her way back to her own tent. She got in and sat down at the edge, pressing her palms on her eyes. She didn’t know how long she stayed there, she just knew it was for a pretty long while. She heard a knock- well more of a tap on her tent flap. She opened it, expecting to see Bellamy or Monroe, who occasionally came to her tent when she had a nightmare about being captured by grounders or something, but instead she saw Murphy, nervously twiddling his thumbs. 

“Hey? What’s up?” She asked as she let him in. 

“Nothing i just...I wanted to have another...sleepover? What would you even call that I’m-“ Murphy was starting to ramble because he was nervous. Octavia laughed. 

“Sure Murphy, so what’s It gonna be this time? Shitty mothers or shitty chancellors?” 

They stayed up for hours, talking about god knows what. Murphy felt a sense of security around the girl, he knew it was lame but he didn’t care, he wanted to become her friend more than anything. 

Before Octavia, he had never longed for a friend, but she changed him, in a good way. She taught him that people can be good, and that everyone, as she liked to repeat multiple times, deserved a second chance. 

Octavia woke up, with Murphy yet again passed out in her floor. She wrinkled her nose as she felt the itchy bumps on her legs, she despised mosquitos. She didn’t leave the tent like last time, in fear of being confronted by Bellamy again, she just pulled out Lincoln’s book and read the pages, for what seemed like the 100th time. Repeatedly running her fingers over the graphite drawing of herself. She let a tear spill over her bottom lid and onto the left coroner of the small page. “Ai hodnes” She whispered, staring into the page. 

“You really love him don’t you?” Murphy asked, sitting up from his spot in the floor. 

“I did- I do” She sniffled, pitting the book back under her pillow. 

“I’m sorry.” Murphy wasn’t the type to show empathy, but Octavia was the exception. She had showed him too much kindness for him not to return it. 

“Me too.” She whispered back. 

“I still don’t understand you.” Murphy stated, climbing back into the bed across from hers. 

“Murphy, everyone deserves-“ 

“-a second chance, yes I know. But I don’t get why. Your brain just works differently than mine, you’re too...” Murphy searched for the word. "Nice." He smiled at her. 

“Wow Murphy tell me how you really feel.” Octavia giggled. 

Hours later, when it was time for dinner they all made their way towards the fire. 

Jasper, Monty, Octavia and Murphy sat in a huddle beside the warm fire. All eating a slab of meat on a stick, it wasn’t very appetizing but it was all they had. 

Occasionally they would all laugh, or Octavia would beam at one of them. Murphy made some remark about how the group was way too cheerful for him and stood up. He ruffled Octavia’s hair a few times and made his way back to his own tent. 

Maybe there really was peace...


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm not hearing any better ideas, Clarke." Murphy stated after his tenth idea was shot down. Octavia didn't even know why she was there, she could go join the rest of the grounders outside of the gate and they wouldn't even bat an eye. "We'll give them something." Raven paced, the metal of her brace clashing. Octavia didn't like the sound of this. "All they want is Finn." Bellamy crossed his arms, his leader mask had sat upon his face since the grounders showed up. Octavia wondered if it was exhausting. "Finn wasn't the only one at the village." Raven felt her throat close, she didn't want to hurt anyone but this was Finn. The little boy who shared his rations with her on the ark, who went to jail because she wanted to take an illegal spacewalk. Octavia instinctively clasped Murphys hand protectively, if Raven let anything happen to Murphy she wasn't sure she could restrain herself from strangling her until her eyes bulged out of her head. "What are you talking about?" Clarke stepped forward, her blonde falling infront of her face. 'God, she's so stupid.' Octavia thought. "Raven, okay hold on-" "Woah, Raven I came here to protect him. You were the one who wanted me to come. You..." Murphys voice grew smaller, defeated. "Enough grounders saw him at the village, they'd believe he was the shooter." Octavia squeezed Murphys hand so hard he was afraid it might fall of. Octavia was 𝒏𝒐𝒕 about to watch her best friend get tortured and killed, especially for something he didnt do. "Sick bitch." Murphy spat, Octavia had the urge to drag him out of the dropship. To tell the grounders she would get Finn to them quickly if they just let Murphy go. "They want a murderer? We'll give em one," Ravens hands fuddled with the trigger of her gun. "Drop your gun!" Raven aimed the gun directly at Murphy. Octavia was quick to step infront of Murphy, pushing him backwards and getting in Ravens face. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Murphy was scared how this would end, he was sure Octavia could rip her apart in record time. Instead, she backed away. "I'm out." She simply stated, before shrugging and walking towards the dropship door. She did leave Raven with this though. She stopped at the doorway, turning her head and looking Raven directly in the eye. "Touch him, and i'll rip your spine out and beat you to death with it." Her eyes flashed with anger. 'Badass.' Murphy thought, the corners of his mouth turning up into an almost smile. \--- Murphy had awoken to the sound of Octavia leaving the tent, no doubt to run off with Jasper and Monty before her brother could stop her. Behind the whole scary grounder princess thing, she really was just a kid. It was a delightful surprise though, that when he exited their tent he saw Octavia, Jasper and Harper. They were sat in a triangle of some sort, although Octavia was sitting on a log. Murphys smile grew wider as their eyes met, octavia waved him over. She patted the space in front of her, and as he sat down she didn't hesitate to play with his hair. "What are you doing?" Murphy asked curiously, tilting his head up slightly to look at her. "Braiding your hair." She shrugged, a slight smile on her lips. 

After they got Lincoln back, Octavia was around a lot less. Murphy didn't mind though, he was just glad she was happy.

One night she came storming into the tent, eyes red and puffy.

Murphy was on his bed, eating some sort of berries Monty had picked, he fed a few to a guard just in case they were poison, the guy was still alive so he decided they were safe to eat.

"You're home early." He noted.

She didn't acknowledge him though, she slammed her self face down onto her bed, shoving her face into her pillow as her body shook.

"What happened?" He asked, moving to the edge of her bed. She looked up at him, her cheeks blotchy and red. She didn't even say anything as she sat up and fell into his arms.

He rubbed her back softly as she cried into his shoulder. He assumed it was something Bellamy said, it usually was. But it was normally Monty and Jasper who handled these situations. Murphy wasn't too good at comforting people.

"Hey," His voice was soft. "What happened?" He asked, slowly pulling her up and resting his hands on her shoulders.

Her chin trembled as he pulled her back in.

"Hes, hes dead." She sobbed into his chest as he pulled her tighter, resting his chin on her head.

Jasper came into the tent, no doubt coming to comfort Octavia.


End file.
